as in increased
being at a higher level than average
for a time there was an escalated interest in the historical figure following the release of the blockbuster biography
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in rose
to become greater in extent, volume, amount, or number
as the war between the two countries escalated, it threatened to become a global conflict
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in accelerated
to make greater in size, amount, or number
the president promised to escalate the government's program to combat the dreaded disease
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of escalated
Kerry Breen, CBS News, 11 Apr. 2026
The situation escalated when a guard punched a detainee.
—Garrett Shanley, Miami Herald, 11 Apr. 2026
Officers responded to a 911 call and were informed of a verbal dispute that escalated into a physical altercation, the department told Footwear News.
—Ian Servantes, Footwear News, 10 Apr. 2026
Beijing has escalated military drills around Taiwan in recent years.
—Ashish Valentine, NPR, 10 Apr. 2026
Unite Here Local 49 has sought to represent the employees since before the casino’s existence, and in recent years the campaign has escalated with lawsuits and protests outside the casino.
—Sacbee.com, 10 Apr. 2026
Concern escalated after the plane had already taxied.
—Stephanie Giang-Paunon, FOXNews.com, 10 Apr. 2026
But with Friday’s article in the Chronicle, opponents escalated their attacks.
—Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2026
Authorities allege the encounter escalated when the agent approached the suspects’ car with $600 in government funds to buy one of the guns.
—Eva Remijan-Toba, Chicago Tribune, 4 Apr. 2026
Verb
Then the pain sharply escalated.
—Kerry Breen, CBS News, 11 Apr. 2026
The situation escalated when a guard punched a detainee.
—Garrett Shanley, Miami Herald, 11 Apr. 2026
Officers responded to a 911 call and were informed of a verbal dispute that escalated into a physical altercation, the department told Footwear News.
—Ian Servantes, Footwear News, 10 Apr. 2026
Beijing has escalated military drills around Taiwan in recent years.
—Ashish Valentine, NPR, 10 Apr. 2026
Unite Here Local 49 has sought to represent the employees since before the casino’s existence, and in recent years the campaign has escalated with lawsuits and protests outside the casino.
—Sacbee.com, 10 Apr. 2026
Concern escalated after the plane had already taxied.
—Stephanie Giang-Paunon, FOXNews.com, 10 Apr. 2026
But with Friday’s article in the Chronicle, opponents escalated their attacks.
—Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2026
Authorities allege the encounter escalated when the agent approached the suspects’ car with $600 in government funds to buy one of the guns.
—Eva Remijan-Toba, Chicago Tribune, 4 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for escalated
Adjective
-
The good news is music festivals are safer than ever, thanks to increased focus on on-site medical staff and equipment, says Matt Friedman, national medical director at CrowdRx, which provides medical care at over 20 major music festivals around the country each year.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
12 Apr. 2026
-
Revenue has shot up sharply for these companies since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, with gains matched only by order intake as many struggle to meet increased demand.—
Elsa Ohlen,
CNBC,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Charlotte home prices rose slightly in February compared to the same time last year, although certain neighborhoods had significant swings up or down, according to the latest data from the real estate site Redfin.—
Chase Jordan
April 7,
Charlotte Observer,
7 Apr. 2026
-
Utah is at the heart of what’s been called the Sagebrush Rebellion, which rose during the Reagan era to challenge the prevailing management of federal lands, and, indeed, the entire idea of federal lands.—
Bill McKibben,
New Yorker,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
His play on the field has only accelerated his rise.—
PJ Green
April 8,
Kansas City Star,
8 Apr. 2026
-
When officers attempted to catch up, the driver, identified as a 19-year-old, allegedly accelerated away from police.—
Chelsea Hylton,
CBS News,
7 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
But some farmers who didn’t buy early face elevated prices.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
13 Apr. 2026
-
Mortgage rates remain elevated, and broader affordability concerns continue to weigh on voters, creating a challenging backdrop for Republicans trying to sell their economic agenda.—
Samantha-Jo Roth,
The Washington Examiner,
12 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
That city has swelled in recent weeks with people fleeing the Israeli invasion in the country's south, which has displaced more than a million people.—
NPR Staff,
NPR,
9 Apr. 2026
-
The ranks of Americans that can add guac to their burrito bowl guilt-free have swelled.—
Sam Klebanov,
Fortune,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Liability protections for officers and directors were also expanded.—
Evonne Andris,
Miami Herald,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Under the leadership of former CEOs, including the late Thomas Storrs and Hugh McColl, Gentry was part of a team that expanded the bank far beyond North Carolina’s border.—
Chase Jordan
April 9,
Charlotte Observer,
9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Amen Thompson had a career-high 41 points and Kevin Durant added 33 for the Rockets, who have clinched a playoff berth but are still playing for postseason seeding.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
11 Apr. 2026
-
This is owing to the high pitch of the notes, the tension of the strings, and the small body of the instrument.—
Tim Parks,
New Yorker,
11 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
This delignification step boosted porosity above 93 percent, exposing a dense network of reactive surfaces inside the channels.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
12 Apr. 2026
-
That has boosted this year’s domestic box office revenue, which is up 26% from the same period last year, according to Comscore.—
Samantha Masunaga,
Twin Cities,
12 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Escalated.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/escalated. Accessed 14 Apr. 2026.
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